Automobile-lock.



E. E. MACKs AUTOMOBILE LOCK. APPLICATION mg!) APR. 11. 1918.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

('1 Noun 110 0 ELMER ELSWORTH MACK, OF FGRT SCOTT, KANSA3.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

menses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 29, 1918.

Application filed April 17, 1918. Serial No. 229,133.

1 alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. MACK, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at Fort vention is the production of a lock which may not be easily picked.

A still further object of the invention is the production of a lock admitting ,of a

great variety of variation in the key hole and key so that the key of one lock may not be used for opening another.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a simple, durable and eflicient lock.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departin from the spirit of the invention.

.One practical embodiment of the inven tion is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a steering Wheel with a lock constructed in accordance with the invention in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lock with a fragment of the steering post to which it attached shown;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the lock with the casing in section, the key shown in place with a part broken away;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the lock with the casing in section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the key and mechanism operated thereby;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the key in section and the key receiving pin.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference In carrying out the invention a suitable housing is provided which consists of a base 1 upon which is mounted a cover 2. The cover 2 is provided in its upper end with a slot 3 through which the lock bolt passes and with a key hole 4, while in one side wall it is provided with a vertically disposed slot 5.

Secured t0 and rising from the base 1 are the guide strips 6 in which slide the lock bolt 7, the bolt being bifurcated at its outer end as indicated at 8, to straddle the gasolene lever 9 of an automobile. An offset 10 is provided in the guideway formed by the guides 6 and within this offset normally rest the vertically disposed arms 11 of bell crank levers which are pivoted or fulcrumed on a horizontal shaft 12 which extends transversely of the lock and is supported in the offset portion of the guides 6. The arms 11 have their free ends bent or angled as at 11 and these ends rest against the face of the bolt 7 when the bolt is in lowered or unlocked position, and take under the inner end of the bolt when the bolt is in extended or locked position to retain the bolt in such extended position.

The other arms 11 of the bell crank levers are contacted by fingers 13 which are seatable downwardly upon said arms and which fingers extend from and are carried by rods 14 slidable in grooves 15 which are formed in and extending longitudinally of a pin 15. The pin 15' is secured to and rises from the base 1. The grooves 15 are adapted to receive lugs 16 which are secured to and extend inwardly from the inner walls of the barrel of the key 17. The grooves 15 are of]? set, as seen in Fig. 6, so that when the key is inserted into the lock it must be given a partial turn to bring the lugs 16 into contact with the rods 14.

A vertically disposed rod 18 may also be provided in the lock, adjacent the pin 15' and this rod is preferably formed with an angled lower end 19, though the same is not a necessary part thereof, and an angled up per end 20. The rod 18 is mounted to slide up and down through a guide plate 21 with its lower end in contact with the arm 11 of the central lever 11. The upper end 20 of the rod 18 is in position to be contacted by the lug 17 of the key 17 when the key is in position to contact the rods 14: with its lugs 16.

Springs 23 are secured to the base 1 in any suitable manner and their ends underlie the arms 11 and 11 of the levers 11 to retain the parts in elevated positions.

The shank of a knob or button 26 extends through the slot 5 and is secured in any suitable manner to the bolt 7 so that the bolt may be raised or lowered by raising or lowering the knob 26. A strap 24 or like supporting means is secured to the cover 2 and is adapted to encircle the steering post 25 of an automobile to which it is clamped by bolts or otherwise. v i

' It will be evident that the bolt 7 may be extended so that its bifurcated end will straddle the lever 9 by drawing the knob or button 26 upwardly. When this is done, the ends 11 of the lever arms 11 will spring below the bolt 7 under the force of the springs and so lock the bolt in its extended position. To 110w return the bolt and release the lever it will be necessary to use the key 17.

The key 17 is inserted through the key hole 1, the pin 15 entering the barrel of the key and the lugs 16 entering the groove 15. When the key has been inserted to the oiiset oi the groove 15 it becomes necessary to give the key a partial turn to bring the same in register with the rods 1 1 so that they may be depressed and the bell crank levers rocked to bring the ends of the arms 11 from beneath the bolt 7. This releases the bolt and allows it to be drawn from contact withthe lever 9 and into the casing.

As heretofore explained, when the key is turned to bring the lugs 16 into contact with the rods 14 the lug 17 is in position to contact the rod 18 and so depress its arm 11" of the bell crank lever. 4

From the foregoing it will be apparent that changes in the formation of the key hole slot may be resorted to in order to prevent one key opening several locks, and also changes in the location or spacing of the grooves 15, thus rendering a great variety of changes possible without an apparent change in the lock.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and sought by Letters Patent, is

1. An automobile lock including a casing, a bolt slidable within the casing, means for sliding the bolt to extended position, bellcrank levers within the casing released by the extension of the bolt to lock the bolt in extended position, rods mounted to slide, in the casing and contacting the bell-crank levers, andmea'ns for sliding the rods to rock the levers and release the bolt for retraction.

2. An automobile, lock including a casing, a bolt sli'dable within the casing, means for sliding the bolt to extended position,means within the casing released bythe extension of the bolt to lock the bolt in extended position, apin in the casing provided with grooves, rods slid-able in the grooves and contacting the bolt locking means, and a key adapted to fit over the pin and having lugs adapted to the grooves to contact the rods and actuate the bolt locking means to release the bolt for retraction.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aili'xed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELMER ELSVVORTH MACK.

Witnesses;

Mrs. Gr; 0. PRIESTLEY, Mrs. GRACE MACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenta, Washington, D. 0. 

